Superintendent Dr. John Kopicki has announced the following personnel appointments, which were approved by our Board of Education on Monday, July 13.  

Dr. Sandy Ward, Director of Administrative Services for Cabarrus County Schools (CCS), has been named Chief Student Services and Compliance Officer, replacing Dr. Mary Beth Roth, who has retired. Sandy will begin her new role immediately. 

Sandy joined CCS in 2007 as a literacy specialist before serving as principal at both R. Brown McAllister STEM Elementary and W.R. Odell Elementary. She has served in her current role within the Administrative Services Department since 2023. Before joining CCS, Sandy taught in Florida and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (CMS).  

Sandy earned her bachelor's degree from Syracuse University, a master's degree from Florida Atlantic University, and her doctoral degree from Western Carolina University.  

Amanda Hauser, assistant principal at Roberta Road Middle School, has been named principal at Cabarrus Early College of Technology (CECT) replacing Vance Fishback, who has retired.  She will begin her new role at CECT immediately. 

Amanda joined CCS in 2012 as a teacher at Cabarrus-Kannapolis Early College High School and later served as a teacher at CECT before being named the school’s assistant principal in 2018.  She began her current role at Roberta Road Middle School in 2024. 

Amanda earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina Charlotte and a master’s degree from Appalachian State University. 

Mark Lowry, assistant principal at Northwest Cabarrus High School, has been named principal at Cabarrus Health Sciences Institute (CHSI) replacing Ashley Short, who was named principal at Harris Road Middle School earlier this summer.  He will begin his new role at CHSI immediately. 

Mark has served CCS since 2011, holding assistant principal positions at both Cox Mill High School and Northwest Cabarrus High School.  Prior to joining CCS, he served as a teacher within CMS. 

Mark earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of North Carolina Charlotte. 

Emanuel Gonzalez, assistant principal at Whitewater Middle School in CMS, has been named assistant principal at Central Cabarrus High School replacing Kristy Bullock, who has retired. He will begin his new role at Central Cabarrus this week. 

Emanuel began his education career in 2021 as an MTSS coordinator and math teacher at the CCS Performance Learning Center. He has served in his current administrative role at Whitewater Middle since 2024. 

Emanuel earned his bachelor’s degree from Caribbean University of Puerto Rico and his master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Charlotte. 

Jesse Hall, dean of students at Berryhill K-8 Academy in CMS, has been named assistant principal at Harris Road Middle School replacing Amber Zimmer, who has transferred to the same position at Weddington Hills Elementary School. He will begin his new role at Harris Road on August 5. 

Jesse previously served as both a teacher and instructional technology facilitator within CCS at C.C. Griffin STEM Middle School and W.R. Odell Elementary School until beginning his current role at CMS in February 2025.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Western Carolina University, and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina Charlotte. 

Congratulations Sandy, Amanda, and Mark on your new roles within the district and welcome Emanuel and Jesse back to Cabarrus County Schools.